Lucy Gordon - The Diamond Dad

But it was too late, as the children's glowing faces confirmed. Through the window they could be seen climbing over Barker, who cheerfully accepted their attentions. Faye made a last attempt to change their minds, but their response was to tighten their arms around their new friend and look mulish.

Kelly made a start on the paperwork. 'He doesn't actually become yours for another month,' she said. 'First I must visit you and see how he is. If your home doesn't seem suitable, then I'm afraid I have to take him back.'

'Don't worry. He'll have the best of everything,' Garth assured her.

While Kelly left them a moment, Faye said angrily, 'That's the worst thing I've ever seen you do. He isn't going to live long. But you don't care if they're hurt so long as you get your way.'

'Faye, Cindy's happy.'

'Because she thinks this means her father loves her.'

'Are you saying I don't love my children?'

'Maybe you love Adrian, because he's your son. But Cindy's always been an afterthought to you. How is she going to feel when Barker dies?'

'I'll get her another dog.'

'Another one won't be the same.'

'I'll get one who looks just like him.'

She looked at him in pity. 'You don't understand a thing, do you?'

Kelly returned before he had to answer. The formalities were completed, and they were free to take Barker home.

Garth's big car suddenly looked much smaller when it had to accommodate a hundred and twenty pounds of dog. He took up most of the back seat, with Cindy and Adrian squeezing into whatever was left. When he woofed, Garth and Faye had to rub their ears.

It was Cindy's birthday next day. Faye's gift was a dressing-table set, and a new pair of jeans suitable for a little girl who enjoyed muddy pursuits. Adrian had bought her a video of her favourite television programme. And because Faye had done some inspired last- minute shopping, there was even a new T-shirt bearing a picture of a St Bernard, and a tag that said, 'To Cindy, with love from Barker.'

Garth's present was Barker himself, but Faye knew he wouldn't feel he'd done the job properly unless he'd spent money. She'd wondered wryly how he would rise to the challenge of buying something for a little girl he knew nothing about, but she'd underestimated him. He had an excellent, motherly secretary, who spent the lunch hour shopping and returned with a small coral necklace and matching bracelet. They were exquisite, and Cindy was thrilled.

When she'd opened her cards and presents, she willingly turned the spotlight onto Adrian.

'He's got a very important football match this afternoon,' she explained to Barker. 'And we're going along to cheer. I'll tell you all about it when we come back.'

Promptly at eleven o'clock Adrian was collected by the father of a team-mate, ferrying five players to the match site ten miles away. The rest of the family would follow an hour later.

Cindy was ready well before time, bouncing up and down with excitement. 'Come on, Daddy,' she pleaded. But when he appeared, her expression changed to one of horror. 'Daddy, you can't go like that.'

'What's wrong with it?' Garth asked, looking down at his neat, conservative suit.

'Nobody dresses like that,' Cindy said urgently.

'I do.'

'Nobody does.'

'Faye, do you know what this child is talking about?'

'You're overdressed,' she said. 'You should be in jeans and sweater like the rest of us.'

'Does it really matter?'

'Garth, if you turn up dressed for a board meeting, your children will be so embarrassed that they'll pretend not to know you.'

Garth was about to say that his faithful little defender would never deny him, when he caught a look on Cindy's face, and thought better of it. 'I don't have any jeans,' said the man who'd once lived in them, morning, noon and night.

'Something casual, then.'

Between them Faye and Cindy went through his clothes and found garments that Cindy said, 'wouldn't be too cringe-making'. Much chastened, Garth donned trousers and a casual shirt, and they were ready to leave.

'Goodbye, Barker,' Cindy said, hugging him fiercely. 'Be good while we're gone.'

But it seemed that the faithful hound had no intention of staying behind. He followed her to the door, slipped out and went to sit beside the car. When Garth seized his collar and tried to command him back inside, Barker took root in the ground and looked hurt.

'He's afraid to be on his own,' Cindy explained, 'in case we don't come back.' 'He's a dog, not a person,' Garth protested.

But it seemed that Cindy was right. Having lost one owner, Barker was determined not to lose another. As soon as the car door was opened he dashed inside. Cindy followed him and they sat together, determination written on both faces.

'You might as well give in now,' Faye said, stifling a laugh.

'Do you know what that dog's doing to my upholstery? I've just had it cleaned from bringing him home yesterday.'

'I think it's going to need cleaning again,' she observed with apparent sympathy. 'The trouble is that he's so big. But, as I recall, you wanted a big dog.'

'You're enjoying this, aren't you?'

'Who, me?' she asked innocently. In fact, there was a certain satisfaction in the sight of Garth hoist with his own petard.

He started the car, but immediately flinched away, rubbing his ear. 'Cindy, if you don't stop that animal licking me I'll leave you both behind.'

'Barker,' Cindy reproved him, 'you're a very naughty boy.'

Barker barked. Garth winced. Faye dissolved in laughter.

At the match site there was more of an audience than Garth had expected for a schoolboys' game.

'It's the inter-schools trophy,' Cindy explained to him. 'This is the quarter finals, and this year we've got a real chance of winning. Adrian's terribly good. Ken says so.'

'Ken?'

'He's Mummy's friend,' Cindy said innocently, 'and he coaches the football team.'

'He probably won't be here today,' Faye said quickly.

'He's not really the coach, he just fills in sometimes for the fun of it because the real coach has been poorly. But he's well now, so I doubt if Ken-oh, dear.'

Garth followed her eyes to where Adrian's team had appeared, accompanied by a large, bearded man.

'That, I take it, is Kendall Haines?'

'Yes, but I truly thought he wouldn't be here. He was rushing to finish a book before the deadline.'

Garth hardly heard her. He was watching his son claim Kendall's attention with a question that seemed urgent. Kendall answered at length, with gestures towards the field, while Adrian nodded and seemed happier for what he'd heard. He was completely absorbed, and only when the teams ran onto the pitch did he look at the sidelines for his family.

Faye and Cindy led the cheering from the start, yelling loudest whenever their team did well. When Adrian scored in the first half-hour they crowed with delight. So did Barker. Garth tried to catch his son's eye and finally managed it, giving him a thumb's-up sign that Adrian acknowledged with a grin. But it was Kendall's cry of 'Well done, Adrian,' that really delighted him.

Garth thought of where he ought to be right now, the meetings he'd had to cancel, the lame excuses he'd made. And for what? To be forced to watch a demonstration of his son's allegiance to another man.

Then he felt Cindy's tight grip on his hand and looked down at her with a smile. She was his protector, he thought, astonished. Faye was reserved, except when she was laughing at him, and Adrian still maintained a slight distance. It was Cindy who secured his place in the fami-

ly.

He felt a rare pang of guilt. He was working skilfully to stay in his daughter's good books, because he needed her. And that meant Faye was right, he realized. He was giving Cindy a raw deal. And not for the first time. Her eyes, shining up at him, were uncritical and full of trust and for an instant he had to look away. How could any man meet that honest gaze without a touch of shame?